


For a Loop

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen, Gen or Established Relationship, Ice Skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 11:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2849675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Why, Jo," Henry says, with that little smile that he gets sometimes and Jo just knows she's in for it. "You've never been ice skating before?" he continues in that low tone, the one that's dripping with incredulity, humor, and genuine curiosity, all wrapped up together in one neat, little package.</p><p>And, <i>damn it</i>, she thinks; she's going to go ice skating.</p><p>[Wintery fluff that actually isn't written from Jo's POV at all.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	For a Loop

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! Or, similarly, Happy Holidays!
> 
> Here is my fluffy winter piece for this fandom. I had a very stressful, very crazy Christmas Eve and was determined to write this this morning due to a Christmas Day that will no doubt be busy as well. If it's a tad OOC, I apologise; it's simply too much fun.
> 
> I do not own _Forever_. Thanks for reading!

"I'm really not sure about this, Henry."

Henry grinned, looking up lacing up his skates. "Oh, really, it's not that difficult. I promise, I'll guide you along."

"That is not what I'm worried about," Jo muttered. "I don't even know how to stand up."

Henry rose to his feet fluidly, balancing easily. It had been a long time since he was on ice skates. He hoped, for the sake of this misadventure, that it was a bit like riding a bike. "You just stand up. Simple as that."

Jo looked dubious. Henry was trying not to laugh at her. He knew it wasn't really polite. But Jo had been looking dubious ever since Henry had suggested, teasing at the time, that he would take her ice skating. The jest had turned serious when Hanson had let slip that Jo had previously said that she had never been ice skating. _"It's a travesty, Detective, one that we must endeavour to fix this year,"_ Henry had said, and, after a bit of playful ribbing from one side or the other, there they were.

"Give me your hands," Henry said with an easy smile, extending his own to her. "Come on, Jo. Show me your Christmas spirit."

Jo sighed heavily, her exasperation clouding into the air, made visible by the cold. But there was humour in her eyes, kinship that Henry wasn't used to experiencing, and she reached up to place her hands in his.

"There you are. Now, stand up."

"I'm going to fall."

"No, you won't." Henry pulled Jo to her feet, gripping loosely at her elbow as she wobbled. "See? That wasn't so bad. Step with me; you won't fall. If you do, I'll catch you."

"My knight in shining armour," Jo muttered, although she followed him, taking forward steps to his backwards ones, until they were at the edge of the rink.

Henry stepped back onto the ice. The change in footing was instantaneous; he corrected his posture immediately. "Come on, Jo. You're doing fine. Just step onto the ice. The key here is-" No more than had he begun to say this, Jo took a brazen step forward and slipped on the ice. Henry made a heroic effort to right her, slipping one of his hands against her lower back while keeping a mind about him about proper personal boundaries. "Careful. Bend your knees," he instructed. "Not too much, you'll have an improper distribution of weight. Now don't hunch over so much. Posture is key." He straightened his shoulders without being consciously aware of it.

Jo gave him as dry a look as she could probably manage, clinging to his arms tightly.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked innocently.

"I don't trust ice skating." Jo straightened up slightly. Her eyes darted around the busy ice rink. She looked like she was looking for a way out.

Henry wasn't about to give her one. He was simply having too much fun. "You'll need to find your medium here. Standing straight makes you stiff, but bending over too far will pitch you over. Watch me."

He let go of her and bit his cheek against the flare of mirth when Jo made an instinctive grab for his sleeve that missed. She curled her hands into fists in place of holding onto him, and held very still. Henry pushed off with his left foot and did a small turn, gliding to a smooth stop next to her. "Understand?"

"I understand that you're a show off," Jo muttered, although she shifted on her skates as though to find the elusive sweet spot for balance.

Henry offered his hands again. "I have had much, much time to practise," he said truthfully. "I'm confident that, with the right practise, you will be able to skate just as beautifully."

Jo rolled her eyes and blew her hair out of her face. "Yeah, right." She returned his smile, and looked down at her skates. "How do we move?"

Henry was struck with an idea. It wasn't a very nice one. He grinned.

"Like this," he said, tightened his grip around her gloved hands, and pushed off to skate backwards. The momentum was a bit off from the extra weight, but the ice beneath their feet gave him the leverage he needed. He went backwards, Jo went forwards; she was skating - sort of.

"Henry!" Jo gasped, wobbling.

Henry's smile grew. He couldn't quite remember when had been the last time he had had so much fun, never-mind at the expanse of traumatising poor Jo. He applied a little more pressure to his step, picking up speed.

"Henry, Henry," Jo gasped, although she was laughing now, too. Whether it was from the assuredly ridiculous look on his own face or perhaps she was having fun, too, Henry wasn't sure. "Stop, stop, stop!"

Henry turned on his heel and spun them around in a loose circle. Then, he turned his heels out to come to a grinding halt, ice flecking up around his ankles. Jo sucked in a breath as Henry let go of her arms, only to catch her by her shoulders before she could barrel right into his chest. Henry staggered slightly from the momentum, but kept both of them on their feet.

"Henry Morgan!" Jo said, leaning back away from him when they were steady. "Don't _ever_ do that again." She blew out a breath as he grinned on towards her. She caught the grin and shook her head, her exhale turning to a cloud again in the cold air. "You are _such_ a show-off."

Henry released Jo entirely, folding his hands behind his back. "You have to admit the allure to it, Detective," he said, and arched an eyebrow.

"Sure, but there's allure to candles and a hot bath, too, but I don't see me doing that on my days off."

Henry smiled. "Perhaps not," he said, "but this is a one time of year event. Now. Do you wish to learn properly?"

This time, he held out one hand. He would teach Jo the motions of shuffling one foot in front of the other, similar to walking or rollerblading, and the angle in which she should bend her knees. He would teach her the easiest way to stop and how to turn a figure eight without flailing her arms for balance. He was quite good at skating, and he was honest when he thought that Jo could be, too. Even if she turned out not to be, it was great fun.

"If I get a hot chocolate out of it, fine."

"Hmm." Henry smiled, casting his gaze around the ice rink. "We'll see how the lesson goes."

Now it was Jo's turn to raise her eyebrows. Henry didn't need to look at her to see the playful incredulity in her tone and face. "What are you now, like, Headmaster Morgan?"

Henry laughed out loud, warmth soaking into his core despite the chill of the rank. "Let's just stick with ‘Henry’."

"Fine." Jo paused before reaching for his wrist again. "But no more loop-de-loops."

"No more loop-de-loops," Henry vowed, and laced his fingers together with hers determinedly.

 


End file.
